Specifications: are they aiming in the right direction?

Specifications for dental materials have been developing since about 1920, with a progressive shift in their origin from professional associations to national and international specialized bodies. The consensual approach reflects the conflicting interests of the people involved in this process: representatives from the producers, the final users and the researchers. Being usually issued late (after the marketing of the products) they may not fit with the latest materials. Some key points for the clinical performances of the products may not be covered in the corresponding specifications (e.g. corrosion testing for dental amalgams). Recently, a somewhat new approach has appeared with the development of international standards on the biological evaluation of medical devices, which include dental materials. More efforts are needed from more people to develop specifications which better describe the real behaviour of dental materials in the oral environment.